The Central People's Government of China owns and operates numerous properties in Hong Kong. The central government operates four offices in Hong Kong, which are the Liaison Office, the Hong Kong Garrison, the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commissioner, and the Office for Safeguarding National Security.
Ministry of Commerce Though the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China is not one of the 3 organs of the CPG in Hong Kong, it purchased 8 properties in the 2015 financial year, with 3 in the Southern District and 5 in the Eastern District. The total unlevied stamp duty amounted to $3.6M HKD.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located at 42 Kennedy Road. It also operates the Visa Division of the Consular Department of the Commissioner's Office at 3/F, China Resources Building, 26 Harbor Road for those who hold diplomatic passports or are entering the People's Republic of China for diplomatic purposes.
Next to the 42 Kennedy Road office and connected via foot bridge is the 25 floor residential tower of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located at 6 Borrett Road, which includes a tennis court. At 6A Borrett Road, in a separate and newly constructed building, is the official residence of the Commissioner.
Border Defense Corps The Border Defence Corps is not one of the 3 organs of the CPG in Hong Kong. In 2018, it was discovered that the Border Defence Corps (then part of the People's Armed Police, now part of the Ministry of Public Security) had diverted a river in 2013 in New Territories, near Sha Tau Kok, changing the border and occupying 21,000 sq ft of space that belongs to four Hong Kong landowners. None of the landowners were informed by either the mainland or Hong Kong governments, with the Hong Kong government claiming that they had no knowledge of the river diversion. Instead of rectifying the issue, the Hong Kong Lands Department told one of the landowners that he should sue the People's Liberation Army (PLA) instead.
Office for Safeguarding National Security The Office for Safeguarding National Security is located in the former Metropark Hotel Causeway Bay building. It was previously owned by China Travel Service, another branch of the mainland Chinese government. The building serves as both the office and living quarters for its employees.
In April 2021, the Office announced that it was taking over the Island Pacific Hotel in Sai Ying Pun as an additional work site. Also, it announced a third site via constructing its permanent headquarters at Tai Kok Tsui.
In November 2022, the Office bought a 7,171 sqft 5-bedroom mansion in Beacon Hill for HK$508 million. The South China Morning Post reported that the unit is Villa 1 of Mont Rouge.
PLA Hong Kong Garrison Upon the handover of Hong Kong, 18 sites of the British forces were transferred to the People's Liberation Army, and one (the Central Military Dock) was added in to make a total of 19 sites, as defined in the Military Installations Closed Areas Order. In 2014, citing recent media reports, legislator Kenneth Chan asked the government about a suspected 20th site, a radar installation at Tai Mo Shan; Garrison Law requires the public to be informed about the opening of new sites. The government stated that the relevant area was not one of the 19 military sites, and pointed to the legal obligation of the government to support the Hong Kong Garrison while saying that details on Hong Kong operations could generally not be given due to military secrecy considerations. In January 2021, in response to reports of Chinese Communist Party slogans on the radome surfacing, as well as photos of a PLA vehicle and a soldier in PLA uniform, the Hong Kong government for the first time spoke of the building as housing telecommunication devices for defence purposes.
In December 2017, a Reuters article reported that many of the military sites were underused. Some lawmakers and activists suggested that the land be returned to the city to build housing. +20 Sites of the Hong Kong GarrisonLocationNumberNameCommentsHong Kong Island1Central Barracks2Central Military Dock150 meter strip along the Central harbourfront, intended to be used for a military dock. Construction is currently being opposed3Chek Chue Barracks4Headquarters House5Ching Yi To Barracks6Western Barracks88 Bonham Road - formerly named the Bonham Tower BarracksKowloon7Gun Club Hill Barracks8Kowloon East Barracks91A, Cornwall StreetUnused. This was the former Air Commander's residence, located at the junction of Cornwall St and Devon St in Kowloon Tong10Ngong Shuen Chau BarracksNew Territories11Shek Kong BarracksIncludes the Northern and Southern compounds, as well as the airfield12Shek Kong Village13San Tin BarracksFormerly known as Cassino Lines14Tam Mei BarracksLocated in Ngau Tam Mei in Yuen Long15San Wai Barracks16San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range17Tsing Shan Firing Range18Tai O Barracks19Military Transportation Centre at Chek Lap KokLocated at Catering Road West, near the airport. Also called the "Joint Movement Unit"20Radar Installation at Tai Mo ShanFirst suspected in 2014; confirmed in January 2021 as serving defence purposes although not included in the government list of military sites
Liaison Office and Newman Investment Though the Liaison Office is headquartered at The Westpoint, the Liaison Office has purchased other offices and a significant number of residential apartments in Hong Kong. In an unusual setup, Newman Investment Co Ltd, a private company, has been identified as a subsidiary of the Liaison Office. Purchases of property have been done both through the Liaison Office and through Newman Investment.
Although Newman Investment is a private company and is not registered as an incorporated public officer, which would qualify it from not paying stamp duties under section 41(1) of the Stamp Duty Ordinance, Hong Kong Chief Executives have, under section 52(1) of the SDO, have allowed Newman Investment to not pay stamp duties. This has allowed Newman Investment to escape stamp duties of approximately 150 million HKD between 2012 and 2020.
For the past several years, several District Council members have asked the government for a detailed breakdown of property owned by the Liaison Office and Newman Investment, as well as the reasoning for Newman Investment, a private company, to escape paying stamp duties. The government has consistently only given brief summarised results, hiding details on the transactions. For example, in March 2019, Kenneth Leung, a Legislative Council member, asked for details from the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, James Lau, only to be given summarised results. +Table of Unlevied Stamp Duties in Recent YearsFinancial YearOrganisationStamp Duty Involved (HKD)# of Properties InvolvedLocations2012-13Newman$1,900,00015TBD2013-14002014-15Liaison Office$52,300,00065 (Kwun Tong) 1 (Central and Western)2015-16Newman$15,600,000155 (Central and Western) 10 (Sha Tin)2016-17Newman$8,400,00086 (Central and Western) 2 (Kowloon City)2017-18002018-19Newman$47,900,0002523 (Central and Western) 2 (Sha Tin)2019-20Newman$80,400,000222 (Central and Western) 20 (Kwun Tong)
Newman Investment Company Information Companies in Hong Kong are required to fill out a NAR1 Annual Return form every year, and submit it to the Companies Registry. For a small fee, anybody can perform a lookup on any registered company. In Newman Investment's February 2020 Annual Return (NAR1), it lists the Company Secretary as Xiao Xiaosan, and the four remaining directors as Chen Zhibin, Li Xuhong, Sun Zhongxin, and Chen Dunzhou. According to SCMP, directors of Newman have been officials from the Liaison Office's Administration and Finance Department.
Residential Properties In April 2020, Demosisto distributed a press release and map, showing the extent of property purchases by the Liaison Office and Newman Investment. In the press release, it was shown that as of the end of February 2019, 722 residential units had been purchased, with 156 purchased by the Liaison Office, and the remaining 566 purchased through Newman Investment. Of the 566 properties purchased by Newman, 542 were found with an exact address, and the remaining 24 have no exact address that could be found by Demosisto. +Demosisto Report Appendix 1 - Residential Properties. Excludes 24 properties whose specific addresses could not be found.Demosisto Map IDDistrictAddress (English)Address (Chinese)# of Units# of RoomsSpecific Address (Chinese)Purchase Price (HKD)Purchase YearOwnerNotes45Kwun TongGrand Central 33 Hip Wo Street凱滙高層EFGHL2041凱滙高層 L、H、E、F、G 室$247,532,0002019Newman44Wan Chai41-43 Village Road山村道41-43號2242山村道41-43號$2,545,7601992NewmanPurchase included the entire building and land43Central and WesternThe Belcher's Block 2
89 Pok Fu Lam Road寶翠園2座高層D室12寶翠園2座中層 D 室$17,200,0002018Newman42Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 24 1 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城06期 24座中層B12沙田第一城 06期 24座中層 B 室$6,200,0002017Newman41Central and WesternThe Merton Tower 2
38 New Praya Kennedy Town泓都 2座 高層DE12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,560,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,600,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,640,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 E 室$8,380,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,720,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 E 室$8,440,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,780,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 E 室$8,500,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,840,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 E 室$8,560,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,880,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,960,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 E 室$8,680,0002017Newman12泓都02座高層 D 室$8,980,0002017Newman40Central and WesternConnaught Garden Block 1
155 Connaught Road West高樂花園01座高層ABC12高樂花園 01座中層 C 室$5,300,0002017Newman12高樂花園 01座中層 A 室$6,075,0002017Newman12高樂花園 01座高層 B 室$5,000,0002016Newman12高樂花園 01座高層 C 室$4,950,0002016Newman12高樂花園 01座高層 C 室$4,980,0002016Newman39Kwun TongTelford Gardens Block J
33 Wai Yip Street德福花園J座低層0312德福花園 J 座低層03室$5,250,0002016Newman38Kwun TongTelford Gardens Block N
33 Wai Yip Street德福花園N座中層0612德福花園 N 座中層06室$5,270,0002016Newman37Central and WesternConnaught Garden Block 3
155 Connaught Road West高樂花園03座低層EFGH12高樂花園 03座高層 F 室$4,980,0002016Newman12高樂花園 03座中層 G 室$4,800,0002016Newman12高樂花園 03座低層 H 室$4,850,0002016Newman12高樂花園 03座低層 G$5,500,0002015Newman12高樂花園 03座高層 E$5,100,0002015Newman36Central and WesternConnaught Garden Block 2
155 Connaught Road West高樂花園 02座高層D12高樂花園 02座高層 D$4,900,0002015Newman35Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 10 1 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城01期10座高層F13沙田第一城01期10座高層 F 室$6,200,0002017Newman34Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 45 7 Tak Po Street沙田第一城04期45座中層及高層B12沙田第一城 04期 45座高層 B$4,150,0002015NewmanDiscrepancy; Demosisto press release states 1 unit and 2 rooms purchased for $4,150,000 in 2015, while their map states that 2 units and 4 rooms were purchased for $10,350,000 total in 2015 and 201733Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 44 5 Tak Po Street沙田第一城04期44座中層B12沙田第一城 04期 44座低層 B$4,180,0002015Newman32Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 41 10 Pak Tak Street沙田第一城04期41座高層H12沙田第一城 04期 41座中層 H$4,480,0002015Newman31Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 40 14 Pak Tak Street沙田第一城 04期 40座中層F12沙田第一城 04期 40座中層 F$4,250,0002015Newman30Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 38 11 Lok Shing Street沙田第一城04期38座中層E12沙田第一城 04期 38座中層 E$4,100,0002015Newman29Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 37 9 Lok Shing Street沙田第一城04期37座中層F12沙田第一城 04期 37座中層 F$4,150,0002015Newman28Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 29 2 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城03期29座中層F13沙田第一城 03期 29座中層 F$6,060,0002015Newman27Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 20 1 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城02期20座中層A13沙田第一城 02期 20座低層 A$5,850,0002015Newman26Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 8 5 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城 01期 08座高層E13沙田第一城 01期 08座高層 E$6,300,0002015Newman25Sha TinCity One - Shatin Block 7 7 Tak Kei Street沙田第一城01期07座中層E13沙田第一城 01期 07座低層 E$6,650,0002015NewmanDiscrepancy; Demosisto press statement says address is 沙田第一城 01期 07座低層 E, but their map states the address as 沙田第一城01期07座中層E24Central and WesternParkcrest